Fresh kids, fresh style, fresh spirit

Balancing family life and work can be a struggle, especially as today’s cost of living demands that many parents have to go out to work to keep a certain standard of living alongside their partners wage. In many cases, people do love going to work as it gives you that sense of independence and function outside of the family home. Alongside these feeling, there is also sometimes an element of guilt that can play on your mind, but there are ways you can have it all and still make a positive impact on your children. Children need good role models and are proving that you can lead a well-balanced lifestyle alongside that of your family, this will showcase that they to can aspire to choose both family life and careers in their later years.

There will be times where it may present a struggle, and nothing in life is ever plain sailing, but if you can weather the storms, you certainly see many sunny days with your nearest and dearest for a happier and fruitful lifestyle in the long run. Take a look at how you can juggle both a busy family life and work commitments to build a fantastic future for everyone.

Make mornings stress-free

As soon as you wake up, you will be on the go. Whether this is making school lunches, getting the kids dressed or running them to school before the bell. Alongside this, you will also be trying to get to work too. Mornings can be the most stressful times for working parents but getting organized is key. Start by preparing things the night before. Make lunches ready to just pop in their backpack, and get clothing prepped and ready to put on as soon as they’ve had a wash. The same can be done with your work clothing. Be sure to steam and prepare your clothing the night before to save being flustered while trying to get the kids to school. These small things can give you more time to sit and have breakfast with everyone, plus don’t forget to ask for some help too, as your partner also has just as much responsibility as you to get the kids ready in the morning, and shouldn’t be just strolling out the door leaving you to it.

Plan your finances

Money is often a huge stress for families, especially if you are mostly working to keep up with your monthly commitments. In these instances, it can be challenging to manage your budget as it is already tight but planning ahead can help to alleviate the situation. By keeping track of everything, you will be able to spot areas where you could save money, which could be used to spend on a family day out or a small treat. There are also ways that you can save on everyday buys such as grocery shopping, and even cutting out any trips to the store on your lunch break or that cup of coffee on the way to work will help to save some much-needed money for a rainy day. You may want to consider borrowing to help bridge a short-term gap and companies such as Bonsai Finance can help you check out your options.

Get organized at work and home

Good time management when you are juggling both work and home life is essential for all parents. Without this, you will find that you are always late to things or forgetting key aspects of your day, as everything soon starts to mount up. Making a calendar or keeping a diary for both work and life is a great way to keep tabs on everything. Note things down in advance to ensure you are prepared for everything and be sure to look at it a week ahead to jog your memory for any upcoming events or tasks. Spending about 15 minutes each Sunday gives you some time to get everything important clear in your mind, and gives you time to prepare those for the moments when the kids suddenly spring home economics on you.

Being organized at work is also essential as you will want to be able to get out of the door as soon as its finishing time and not have to stay behind to get work completed. Sticking to schedules and organizing your day will help you become more productive and punctual to any appointments, especially ones that involve your kids.

Talk to your employer

If work is becoming stressful and you feel you have too much on your plate which is affecting your work/life balance, be sure to speak with your employer. One of the worst things to do is bottle everything up and let everything get on top of you, as this will lead to added stress at home. Most employers will be able to help, whether this is to address your current workload or perhaps arrange a flexible working option to fit better with your lifestyle. Every employer is different, and you may need a set plan to try and change your work life to ensure they see the benefits of any changes you want to make. In extreme cases, your work life may be affecting your home life on a more significant scale, and this would be the time to decide whether it is worth the stress for your family and yourself to stay in a job that is making you unhappy. There may be some tough decisions to be made but speaking with your employer in the first instance will nip the early issues in the bud quickly.

These are just some of the ways that you can tackle your work and home life balance to get the best of both worlds. By showing your children that you can enjoy a happy life with both families and work in the mix, this will encourage them to appreciate how much work you put into the family both inside and outside of the home.